All For Her
by Brienna217
Summary: Katniss explains her real reason for starting a rebellion and leading a war. And with the help of her daughter, learns how to move on. All rights to Suzanne Collins.


Author's Note: This will be a two-shot so please follow and I would love it if you reviewed! All characters belong to Suzanne Collins.

"We cannot cure the world of sorrows, but we can choose to live in joy."

-Joseph Campbell

All For Her

After the war, after the smoke cleared and the rubble was plowed aside people began to search the mansion. Uncovering things the president had hidden from them all of those years. History books, literature, poetry- anything that would give people an idea for rebellion. Or really just a sense of hope in general. But scholars came and found the books, and great advances of knowledge came from the context of them. They decided this information needed to be shared, so they wrote textbooks themselves that encapsulated the history of Panem, which was formerly The United States of America.

Katniss and Peeta would sometimes stop and glance each other, each with the same thought. How had their daughter grown up so fast? Unlike her brother, she loved school and would come home eager to share what she had learned. She was especially fond of history class. Katniss and Peeta learned along with Eve and often read through her textbook themselves in awe of this former government. They were left baffled as to how it had declined so quickly.

They knew it was coming, the day when the school would move on from ancient America and their daughter would learn about the games and her parents involvement. They had already told her most of it, but in a way that made her brave and grateful for what her parents had gone through to ensure a safe world for her. But, Katniss and Peeta worried the school would tell a different story. One filled with videos of Katniss firing arrows into other tributes hearts and fire and explosions. They prayed she would still understand.

It was one night at dinner when Eve was busy pushing her carrots around on her plate when she finally spoke up.

"We're learning about the war." She said simply. She was fifteen, the age the school had deemed fit for children to learn about the rebellion.

Katniss froze and Peeta stiffly ran his hands over the napkin in his lap before reaching a hand toward his daughter. Austin had already been excused from the table.

"Do you have any questions? You don't have to be afraid to ask us, " He said, hoping Eve didn't think of him any differently now.

She fiddled with her brown hair before sighing an answer, "No, it's just strange," she said, looking to Katniss. "Everyone in my class thinks you're heroes and that you're still symbols of rebellion. When I just see you as Mom and Dad."

"We still are." Peeta replied with a comforting smile. The conversation ended there and they quietly cleared the table. Eve hugged her mother goodnight and headed up stairs, but not before leaving her textbook open to the page they had gone over that day.

Katniss hesitantly began to skim the page as Peeta put an arm around her shoulder. It was strange reading about the early years of her life in a textbook but that wasn't what bothered her the most. They had it all wrong.

The Katniss Everdeen that they portrayed went into the games with a steadfast goal to defy the Capitol and change the games forever. She was a fearless leader and would always be the countries symbol of rebellion. It portrayed the other victors as rich, strong, aristocrats- not the broken, lost people they really were. Finnick was mentioned- it said he was a handsome victor who fought valiantly on the Star Squad before he lost his life. But it was all wrong. And this was just the first page.

"Peeta!" She gasped turning toward him, "they got it all wrong! They still don't understand!" she sobbed.

It was a rare thing but Peeta had no words to comfort her. So they just held each other and tried to move on.

The next morning, Katniss woke with an idea. She had never been particularly good with words or voicing her feelings but this needed to be done. So, after the kids were headed out the door, she called the school, and spoke to Eve's history teacher. The teacher seemed very surprised, but, gladly accepted.

Sorting through her closet Katniss searched for something she would feel comfortable in, but would cover her scars. Then she decided against it. 'It's time to tell the truth,' she thought, 'let them see. Let them see what those games and the war did to all of us.' So, for the first time in years she put on a black short sleeved shirt and and glanced in the mirror at the lines where the fire had scorched her skin. Peeta met her at the door slightly apprehensively, "are you sure you don't wont me to come with you?" he asked.

"No," Katniss responded offering him a smile, "I have to do this myself."

The spring air floated by her as she walked toward the school. Young children were playing, people were shopping and strolling through town. Many smiled and waved to her, a few glanced at her arms but she kept her head high. She opened the door to the school and received directions to the history classroom.

The smily teacher guided her into a classroom of students who sat still like statues. The teacher motioned for her to come in and Katniss took a deep breath.

"Students, Mrs. Mellark is here to talk to us."

They were staring at her scars. The deep etched lines that snaked their way up her arms to her neck. But Eve was in the back, smiling, understanding how hard this was for her.

With a gulp, Katniss began, "I'm Eve's mom, but you would also know me as Katniss Everdeen."

They all knew of course, their parents had told them that the legendary Katniss Everdeen lived in their Town and walked their streets.

With jumbled thoughts and butterflies in her stomach Katniss tried to explain why she was there, "I...I read your textbook, and I just thought that maybe instead of reading it from the point of view of someone who was never really there, never really saw it themselves; you might like to hear my story."

The children all nodded eagerly. But how to make them understand? How could she explain to these children what it was like to live not knowing where your next meal was going to come from? Living without your father, living with the fear that your precious sister could be reaped. And once she was, the all consuming, gut-wrenching fear that the President would kill her after all that you had done. What it felt like to be in the arena, like a bug trapped in a hot claustrophobic dome that seemed like hell on Earth. Where allies turned against each other. Where even if you won, you were broken and your innocence was long gone. How to explain that the victors were not the ones who won, the dead tributes were.

She searched the faces of the children around her as if the answer were in their eyes. But, then she glanced out the window, and there it was. A lone dandelion. Just like there had been oh so many years ago.

'The begging, just start at the beginning,' she thought.

So, she told them, of her father, her beloved sister, learning to hunt in the woods, and eventually her fathers death. Of the boy with the bread. She even tells them of her hunting partner who they now know as a high military official. Then of the reaping.

"You felt like animals," she explained, closing her eyes trying to go back to that fateful day. "Like animals to the slaughter, pigs herded into pens based upon age after having your blood drawn. They treated it like an honor. And that day my sister received that 'honor.' It felt as though the world crashed down around me and I knew that nothing would ever be the same. But she was the only person I was certain I loved and there was nothing I wouldn't do for her."

She then goes on to tell them about the other victors and gives them the recognition they deserve. Tells them of Annie's compassion, Johanna's fierceness, Finnick's charisma. She tells them how Johanna risked her life for her and was tortured in the Capitol because of it. Beetee's paramount intelligence. How Finnick practically died for her by staying back to fight the mutts. Tells them how the Finnick you could see on the screens was a far cry from the real broken man inside. She even tells them of the Mayor's daughter who gave her the mockingjay pin that started it all. The pin that had been worn into the games by Maysillee Donner in the second Quarter Quell. Then comes Cinna- his artistic vision that inspired the symbol and gave her the title of 'The Girl on Fire.' How he found a way to channel his anger through his work and hurt no one else.

She had kept her eyes closed for the majority of the time as she explained this. So as she opened her eyes she took in their expressions. Some in awe, some in shock, some in fear. They didn't understand yet.

"You don't need to be afraid," she reassured, "you are why your parents fought. This new world that we have is all for you. And it's up to you what you do with it. Just take good care of it. We won't always be around to remind you what used to be."

She's almost finished and not quite sure how to end. In her opinion she had done a mediocre job. Peeta would have explained it with more eloquence, painted pictures with his words that would leave them inspired. But she's done her best, words were never her specialty. There's only one thing left.

"I don't know how the people I've shared with you would describe the war, but I know one sure way that your textbook is wrong. I never wanted to be a symbol of rebellion. I didn't go into the games with the intention to overthrow the Capitol. No, you see the only reason I did any of this was to protect my sister, Prim," she said, her voice catching as she pictured the duck tail on reaping day. "So no matter what the books say, it was all for her."

She swallowed thickly and nodded, showing she is done. She has explained. The children sat in awe for a moment before one small boy began to clap, then they all joined in,and Eve stood. Before she knew it she had a whole room of people applauding her. She still didn't quite understand what for, but, she managed a smile. The children grinned and a few shook her hand before leaving. But, what one girl with thin brown hair said stopped her in her tracks.

With a firm handshake the girl said, "Your sister would be proud of you," and then was on her way.

This is what stays with her as she walks home. The sun is lower in the sky and the breeze shakes the leaves in the trees. Would Prim be proud of her? She started a war that killed thousands, even Prim herself. But Katniss is still here, still living. And maybe that is all Prim would have wanted. For Katniss to live for her. She's learned to put things behind her and hold her head high and keep trudging on. She still has bad days, but there are good ones as well. She came to love Peeta, and with his help raised their children. And there are times when she watches Eve paint or Austin help Peeta bake that she forgets for a few moments. Her children''s smiles wash it all away. Yes, maybe she would be proud of her. So, as she closes the door behind her she meets Peeta with a smile and tells him the children were not the only one's enlightened today.


End file.
